Originally published in 1911, this groundbreaking book offers a comprehensive survey of the world's peoples, their customs, beliefs, and ways of life. Bessie Rayner Belloc's approach is both scholarly and accessible, drawing on a wealth of primary sources and firsthand observations to create a vivid portrait of the diversity and richness of human culture. This edition also includes a new introduction that places the book in its historical and intellectual context. This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work is in the "public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work. Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.